Mother and Daughter
by Miss.Ceri
Summary: Set following the events of series 5- Rachel now has a family; a daughter and a loving husband, but is everything what it seems? What is she hiding?
1. Prologue

"Alex!"

Sigh. We're going to be late.

"Alex! Hurry up, we're going to be late!"

"Coming mummy, I'm coming!"

"Come on we've got to get a shift on,"

I passed her coat down form the rack and picked my bag up.

"Right, got everything?"

"Yep"

Her cheesy grin and angelic reply made me stop and smile. I hated rushing in the mornings, I wish I had more time with my angel, but I also hated being late and I had a school to run.

"Right, go give daddy a big kiss."

I watched as she ran off into the kitchen. I listened as she said by to her dad and started screaming and laughing, I knew this mean that he had picked her up and was attacking her with kisses.

"Right come on!" I shouted into the next room.

The giggling stopped and soon enough I heard him say "Goodbye Princess, have a good day."

"Bye daddy" came the reply as she skipped into the hallway.

"Good girl, got your bag?"

"Yep"

"Right let's go"

I opened the door and let her out; she carefully made her way down the front steps then ran to the back door of the car.

I smiled, she was so excited, most kids would be terrified at the thought of school, more so on their first day. I think she gets it from me; she's been to work with me hundreds of times, always said she couldn't wait to go to big school, a school like mummy's, so this is the first step. She can't wait to make new friends, meet the teachers, and learn more things, other than what her dad and I have taught her.

I made sure she was all strapped up, in her booster seat.

"Right we ready to go?"

I smiled at her as I looked into her big brown eyes. She smiled back.

"Yeaaah."

"Let's go get them ey?"

She giggled, I closed the door and made my way to the driver's seat.

"Off we go."

When the final bell rang, it was like music to my ears. The first day back is always a tough one, but all day my mind had been on Alex, which had made it even tougher. To save me from going into a trance, a day dream made up of memories of me and her, my mobile started ringing. This was the one call that I had been waiting for all day. I answered it quickly.

"Hello my gorgeous girl."

"Mummy!"

I was happy to hear her sound so excited, this meant that she had had a good day, this had meant that school had been as good for her as she had hoped it to be, this meant that school had been as good for her as I had wanted it to be.

"Did you have a good day princess?"

"Yep! I made lots of new friends mummy"

"Oh did you? That's good,"

"Yep, and my teacher Miss Williams was very nice too we learnt lots of new songs!"

"Ooh sounds very exciting, will mummy get to hear them later?"

"Yep!"

"I can't wait sweetheart."

"And mummy I got to show off my numbers and my letters and my teacher gave me a star for being very good."

"Awh well done princess, what colour was the star?"

"Gold and very shiney."

I laughed, Alex always had a thing for shiny objects, "Can mummy see that when she gets home too?"

"No."

I gasped playfully "No, what do you mean no?"

"It's on my star chart" She said this very matter of factly, like I should know, I was expecting her to put silly at the end of it, 'just like her mother' as he farther would say.

"Oooh, of course it is" I laughed again "Are you and daddy home now?"

"Yep, daddy is cooking dinner."

"What's he cooking tonight then?" having a chef as a husband does have its advantages…sometimes. I could hear whispering at the end of the phone, I knew it was daddy telling his little princess to keep it a secret.

"I can't tell you."

"And why's that?"

"Because Daddy said it's a secret and you have to wait."

"Oh right, are you going to help daddy?"

"Yep"

"Okay, right sweetheart, mummy has to go now so she can be home with you sooner yeah?"

"Ok mummy,"

"You go make sure daddy doesn't spoil the cooking and I'll see you later so you can tell me all about your day, yeah?"

"Yeahhh" I could tell she was grinning at being told to watch daddy, she was going to become a right bossy boots when she was older.

"Speak later sweetie, be good."

"Bye mummy!"

I hung up the phone and sat back in my chair. It was hard, not being there for her. More so now as I want to be able to pick her up from school and I want to know all about her day as soon as she comes home. I treasure moments like that, I know that these past couple of years have gone so quickly and they're not about to slow down. I'm a hand on headmistress and an even more hands on mother, so juggling work and family is hard, no matter what anyone says, it is hard. But I love it, wouldn't change it for the world.


	2. 7 Years Later

7 years later

"Alex! Come on or you're going to be late!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

She watched as her daughter appeared at the top of the stairs, her long, wavy blond hair was tied back into a messy pony-tail. Her face, spot free due to the foundation covering her face, her eyelashes thick black from mascara and rose-red lips.

She shook her head, then she noticed the uniform, black skirt tight enough to see every curve of her body, not that she had any curves to show, she was stick thin, always had been. Tight blouse which was buttoned to just above her chest, with the tie coming even lower.

"No."

Alex sighed, "Oh my god, what?"

"You are not going ANYWHERE dressed like that missy."

"But you said I was going to be late,"

"I think we have enough time to sort whatever you are wearing out."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Humm, where do I begin?"

"Mum you are so unfair!"

"Alex, you are not going to school looking like that, you look like a hooker!"

She hated that phrase, it made her wince whenever anyone ever said that, but this time it was true. In fact she knew it was true, if anything it was more than true, Alex looked more like a hooker than she did back 34 years ago.

"FINE! BUT DON'T BLAME ME WHEN WE ARE LATE!"

She just sighed, her little girl was all grown up, she thought back to Alex's first day of Primary. How things had changed.

They had always gotten on well, the perfect mother and daughter team. Rachel wanted to be the mother to Alex that she had never had. She always felt unloved by her parents, nothing she did was good enough, not that they were ever interested in what she did.

She couldn't believe that her little girl was 11 years old already. The time had flown by; Alex had made it through primary school and was now entering the big bad world of Secondary school.

She was scared for her, knowing herself the problems that she went through, Rachel was always the shy, quiet one. The one that found it hard to make friends but was also split up from everyone she knew from primary school. She had hated it and couldn't wait to leave.

But she got through it, and she had made some good friends in the end. She also knew from becoming a head teacher, she saw everyday what issues pupils faced as well as teachers, she was determined that Alex wasn't going to be one of the problem kids, she was going to be one of the pupils who was well behaved, did her work and was an asset to the school.

Alex was going to the school Rachel once worked in, Waterloo Road. Rachel had decided that it would be okay, it had changed since she had gotten there and although it still had a few problems, it was a good school. Plus it was where Alex's friends from Primary were going and they lived in the catchment area.

"Is this more to your liking?"

She looked up to see Alex stood in longer skirt that came to just above the knee, this was more acceptable. The blouse still tight but buttoned up higher, which also meant the tie was up higher. Black tights covered her bare, sticklike legs. Less make up covered her face but still enough to hide the very few sports she had and a lighter layer of mascara helped her eyelashes stand out.

"Much better."

Alex made her way down the stairs as Rachel handed her the compulsory maroon cardigan.

"You have to be kidding?"

"Nope, compulsory I'm afraid, plus I always thought everyone looked smarter in these."

"Muuum."

"Just put it on Alex!"

She watched as Alex huffed whilst putting it on.

"There, that's much better,"

"Yeah if your 70 years old…"

"I don't know why you think you need all that rubbish on your face and the tight short clothes, it really doesn't look good, and it's not needed for school."

"Yeah but everyone else will be dressed like it."

"I don't care, not everyone else has me for a mother, now go give you're farther a kiss."

She went and picked up her bag, coat and keys as she waited for Alex to return.

"Right come on then or we'll both be late at this rate."

Alex checked her bag and went to make her way back up the stairs

"Wait I almost forgot my p…"

"If you're about to say phone don't bother"

"Awh mum, come on!"

"No Alex, no phones in school, now, car!"

She watched as Alex sighed, stropping back down the stairs past Rachel and out to the car, she just chuckled to herself; Alex could be such a drama queen sometimes.


	3. Alex's first day

Rachel pulled up outside the school gates. Everyone was making their way into the school grounds, it was a sight Rachel had only ever witnessed from up in the office, she did miss the old place. But everything had moved on.

"Mum, do you have to stop here?"

"Not embarrassing you am I?"

"No, it's just…"

Rachel leant towards her daughter and kissed her on the cheek

"Muum!"

"Hey, just count your blessings I'm not still head here." She laughed as Alex dramatically opened the door and went to the back one to get her bag.

"Have a good day sweetie!" she called before the door was slammed, she laughed and muttered to herself "you too mum have a good day, love you lots,"

She sat and watched as Alex walked off and met with her friends.

She smiled; she was going to be okay.

"Awh you're mum is so cute though" Lilly laughed.

Lilly and Alex had been friends all throughout primary school, Rachel had often come home to find Lilly was around for her tea or playing dress up on the computer.

"Yeah, you wouldn't be saying that if you lived with her though."

"You're probably right…but honestly she's better than my mum"

"Hey guys"

"Hey dex," he gave the girls a hug, "never guess what I know!"

"What?"

"Remember Izzy Charles from the year above?"

"Of course,"

"Yeah of course, our parents all knew each other didn't they?"

"Yeah…well my mum was speaking to her step-grandfather the other day because she knew him from when she was teaching here, and well he said we're in his form class."

The girls could see Dex was excited about his news.

"Cool" they both said, trying to sound convincing

"Oh come on guys you can do better than that, especially you Alex, you're like, queen of drama"

Alex hit him, causing them to play fight.

"God you two, get a room."

They stopped straight away as Lilly's remark.

Dex and Alex had been friends for as long as they could remember, this was due to their mother's relationship. Kim and Rachel were best friends, Rachel was there for Kim after Dex was born and Kim was there for Rachel, she used to baby sit and look after Alex afterschool. Both mothers had seen how well their children got on. They, and everyone else, had practically arranged their marriage. But neither of them felt that way, they were just best friends.

Suddenly the bell rang and all 3 friends jumped at its loud, high pitch ring.

"Right you lot, line up!" Came the voice of a short man, with thick black and silver hair and stubble around his jaw line. He was wearing smart jeans and a shirt tucked in, no tie.

He waited until they were all lined up and quiet before he let them enter the class.

"Right you can sit wherever you want, next to whoever you want."

He then waited for them all to finds a seat, until he closed the door and stood at the front of the class.

"Right, that's the formal stuff over with," he sounded a lot less strict than what they all first thought, a silent sigh of relief was let out throughout the class as they all relaxed.

"I'm Mr Clarkson, I'll be your form tutor for the rest of this year and probably, for most of you, your English teacher."

Dex turned to the girls as if to say I told you so, and then turned back to the teacher. They both just shrugged and carried on listening.

"I have been here, at least twenty years, so I have taught many pupils. This may also have meant that I have taught some of your parents…though, god that makes me sound old." He pulled a face causing the group to laugh.

"First of all I'm going to do the register and get to know you all, that way I'll find out whose surname I know." He gave a shifty look then made his way to the computer where he read through the list of names.

"Okay, so I know a couple of your surnames, let's see if I'm right….well I know Dexter Campbell, I was speaking to his mother the other day…let's see, Fleet…who's Alex Fleet?"

Alex raised her hand slowly, Tom smiled, "Ah, I know your mother…and farther, Rachel and Adam,"

She nodded, her cheeks burning

"No need to be shy," he chuckled, "I've heard a lot about you from your mum…right whose next, Jacob,"

A small, skinny boy put his hand up; he had blond hair that was a bit scruffy yet smart and was brushed across his forehead, pale skin and big brown eyes.

"Ah I know Jacob's dad too…"

He went on to a couple of other names, pointing out how he knew them before the bell went again.

"Right before you all leave, here are your timetables, I hope you have a good day and don't forget you can come to me with any problem."

With that the class made their way out to their next lesson.


	4. Old Friends

Rachel was sat in the peace of her office. It had been a quiet morning, but then all mornings at St Peters were quiet.

She let her mind wander to Alex, wondering if she was having a good day, who she was with, if she had made any new friends…

Her thoughts were soon broken when her phone went off; she got up and opened her bag.

**1 New Message**

**+4485691433**

_Hey Rach, just seen Alex, she's grown since we last met._

_Don't think she recognises me, LOL_

_Tom x_

She let out a sigh of relief, she was glad to hear that Alex was okay, she hadn't heard off Tom in ages. She hit the reply button.

**Rachel**

_Hi Tom, I know, we really need a get together soon._

_Where did you see her?_

_Rachel x _

**Tom**

_I'm her form tutor LOL_

_Tom x_

She smiled, she knew Tom would look after her. Especially if he got the notes she had left with Richard Parker, the new head teacher.

**Rachel**

_Oh good, you'd better look after her Mr Clarkson! Did you get her notes?_

_Rachel x _

**Tom**

_I will, I'll make her my star pupil ;) I did, don't worry, Richard made sure I had them x_

She left out a sigh of relief, she had met with Richard Harris, the current head, to make sure that Alex's files were all sorted and correct.

**Rachel **

_Oh yeah she'd love that…not! ;) good x_

**Tom**

_G2g Rach, supposed I'd better get back to teaching the little buggers! LOL we'll catch up soon x_

**Rachel**

_Yeah you'd better had! You're starting to sound more and more like Grantly, yeah we will, give me a call yeah? X_

She smiled, now she was happy that Alex would be okay there. She had made the right choice.


	5. New Friends

Alex, Dex and Lilly had all made their way downstairs to where there first lesson was, Drama. Alex was excited, she loved drama, she always had, she loved the attention, she loved the dressing up, she had always been good at remembering lines, and she had learnt the lines of all her favourite films, songs and television programs.

And she also loved singing, since she was 5 she had been going to drama and singing lessons and she always knew she was good.

The whole group had made their way into the classroom and found seats next to their friends, except Jacob.

He was sat on his own at the front of the class. Alex had spotted him and something inside her felt sorry for him, he looked so sad, but before she could move to say anything to him the teacher was at the front of the class, ready to start.

"Right everyone, hello!" he smiled as he did a big wave through the air, "I'm Mr Wilding, your drama and music teacher," he smiled. He looked around the class and could see that some were more nervous than others.

"Okay everyone, first exercise, I want you all to get up onto your feet." Everyone did as they were told, "now, I know that you're all probably sitting with friends, so I want you to go and pair up with someone that you don't know, or don't know that well,"

The kids started to chatter to their friends as they moved around, following Mr Wildings instructions. This was Alex's chance, she could see that Jacob felt uncomfortable doing this and no one else was walking over to him, so she went over.

"Hi," she said to the shy boy,

"Hey," he replied as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor.

"You're Jacob, right?"

He nodded, still not making eye contact, "Yeah,"

"I'm Alex," she stuck her hand out.

He looked at it, and then looked up, his soft, brown eyes meeting her sparking blue ones. Their eye contact lasted a while before he removed a hand from his pocket and met hers.

"Hi," when their hands connected there was a warmth, an unfamiliar yet pleasant feeling that passed through the contact of skin.

"I want you to really get to know each other," Mr Wildings voice brought the two pre-teens back into the class, "so stay away from normal, boring, questions like where do you live, what's your parents name etcetera etcetera…" he pulled a face causing the group to laugh

Alex looked down at their hands, still holding onto each other, she pulled away slowly, blushing slightly. "So…" she started trying to break the awkwardness, "umm…" She felt nervous, unsure of what to say, this never usually happened. "What's your…umm…favourite…umm…hobby?"

She felt like hitting herself, 'favourite hobby? What sort of question was that?' she felt her brain shouting.

Jacob had stuffed his hands back into his pocket, "umm…I like bowling," he shrugged, "I go with my brothers sometimes."

"Cool," Alex replied, "So how old are your brothers?"

"Um, my eldest one is 28, then my other one is 16." He replied quietly

"Oh cool, does he go here?"

"No, he um lives with his mum, they're step brothers."

"Oh right, that's cool though, but you get on?"

"Yeah I guess so, do you have brothers or sisters?" he returned his attention to the floor

"No, I wanted a sister but my mum said no," she laughed

There was an awkward silence between the pair.

"So, do you know anyone here then?"

"Not really, my dad wanted me to go here, it's close to where we live and he said it was a good school, and my older brother came her ages ago."

"Oh cool, hey why don't you hang around with me, Lilly and Dex?" she then added, "If you want to that is, not that you have to of course, it's just that…" she then realised that she was rambling.

"God could I get any more embarrassing?" she thought to herself

"If you don't mind," he looked up, their eyes met again.

"Of course not, I think you'll get on really well with them and don't worry, they're not as bad as me." She laughed awkwardly.

"I don't think you're bad, you're lovely really," he blushed, quickly moving his fringe and looking back down at the ground.

"Thanks," she smiled, her heart was pounding, she was desperate to get out of that situation, "Come on, let's introduce you to the others." She dragged him across the class.


End file.
